munso n



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. L. MUNSON.

MANUFAGTURE 0F CIGARBTTES.

` ATTORNEYJ.

(No Model.) l a sheets-sheet 2.

A. L. MNS'N. A Y MANUFATURE '0F CIGARETTES- vI-atelfen Mar. 26, 1895.A

No. 536,290. Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

UNITED STA-TES .PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT L. MUNSON, OF NEW YORK, N. YV.

MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTES.y

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 536,290, dated March26, 1895. Applimion inea July 13,1894. serial No. 517,434. (No maar) vTo@ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. MUNsoN, a' citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in the ManufactureofCigarettes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that manufacture of cigarettes in which thetobacco in the form of` a continuous ller is enveloped by a continuouswrapper strip, the edges of which are united, thereby forming acontinuous cigarette ready to be severed into short lengths orindividual cigarettes.

The linien ofthe edges of the wrapper strip is commonly effected bypaste, but that method is objectionable in that the burning of the pasteproduces a distinct and objectionable odor, impairing the fiavor of thetobacco. Y

My present improvements are directed to Vobviating the necessity ofemploying paste for the above purpose, at the same time enabling themanufacture to be conducted'with rapidity and economy,and effecting asecure union between the edges of the wrapper.

Having such objects in view my invention consists in an improved methodof uniting the wrapper-strip edges; in an improved article ofmanufacture-namely, a cigarette-havin g the edges of its wrapper unitedby folding and crimping as'he'reinafter more particularly set forth;`and in a machine o1' apparatus serving as one means among others forcarrying said method 1into' eect and for'` making the said improvedarticles'of man'ufacture.

The said method consists in iirst enveloping the filler in the wrapperstrip, then folding the edges of the latter so that they .interlockandform a seam upon the exterior of the cigk arette, and then' crimpingthe seam in a planel tangential to the body of the cigarette andexterior to the wrapper. A, The improved article of manufacture'consistsin a cigarette having the edges of its Wrapper interlocked to form anexterior seam` and having such seam crimped or corrugated transverselyexterior to, and separated from the cylindricalportion of thewrapper...

The mechanical part of myy invention consists in the 'parts andcombinations :thereofy hereinafter more particularly set yforth andprovements in their useful applications to the particular constructionwhich, for the sake of illustration, I have delineated.

In said drawings:-Figure lis a side elevation of a portion of acigarette machine eml bodying my invention, that part of themachinebeing shown at which the forming and crimping devices are situated andthe Wrapper strip is applied to the filler. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame. Fig. 3 is an elevation on a larger scale of a portion of theWrapper crimping devices, the cigarette being shown in section, on lineIII-III, Fig. 1.

Fig.`7 is an end View of the same showing also a portion of the crimpingdevices. Figs. 8 to 22 are sectional views of said former respectivelyon thesuceessive transverse planes indicated by the dot-and-dash lines.Fig. 23 is an elevation showing crimping devices slightly -dierent fromthose shown in Fig. 3, and also yembodying my invention.

Before entering upon a detailed description of the construction andoperation of those parts of the machine which embodyand illus-l tratethe mechanical part of my present improvements, it may be stated thatthe cornplete machine, in which these improvements will. be applied forse, will ordinarily though not necessarily comprise, first, a means by'which the tobacco is prepared and fed in condition tobe operated uponby the cigarette forming devices, and known as the tobacco feedingdevices, which may include a vertical tobacco conduit, channel orpassageway; second, means by which the loose tobacco fed to the machineis preparedv in the form of an vendless fillerandfed forward, and knownas .the ,filler-formaron filler-forming devices; l third,.means.by:whicli af.wrapper.strip is fed in position to be fed forwardfrom a roll or Figs-L and 5 are cross-sectional views of the wrap- 1 perstrip, illustrating the mode of joining its edges. Fig. 6 is a plan viewo f Athe former.

ICO

rper former or guide, which lis form-ed with or succeeded by thecigarette former; fifth, means by which the continuous cigarette orwrapper strip with inclosed filler isfed or carried positively forward,known as the cigarette carrier; and, sixth, means by which thecontinuous cigarette is severed into cigarette lengths, known as thesevering device.

As combinedA for use, the above mentioned several devices co-operate tofeed the loose tobacco to the machine, prepare such tobacco in the forniof a continuous cigarette filler, feed said ller forward to the wrapperstrip, feed the wrapper strip forward to `meet the filler, partiallyenvelop `the filler with the wrapper strip, com plete the wrapping of`the wrapper strip around the filler, and carry the continuous cigarettethus made forward and sever it into cigarette lengths forming completecigarettes ready for the market.

The above description serves to give a general idea of a machine inwhich my lpresent invention may be employed, and illustration andfurther description of such machine, not being necessary to anunderstanding of my improvements, need not be set forth herein, exceptas to those parts of the machine with which these improvements are moreimmediatel y connected.

While my improved article of manufacture and method of making the samemaybe pro-` duced and carried out` by other appliances,` I prefer toemploy a cigarette machine of the type above indicated having the`peculiar additional features about to be described.

Referring to the drawings, and letters and numerals of referencethereon, F indicates the former, comprising preferably `both `the meansby which the wrapper Strip is manipulated and by which the cigarette 'isformed.`

3 as indicated, by means of a slottedlugdon the former and engaging apin 7 on the frame, and a second lug 8 engagedby alatch 9. At

its end where the strip 1 is `received thepart` Fis formed with awrapperguide and former 5, the extreme end of which is preferably `flator nearly so and adapted `to engage `.the edges j of the flat wrapper bymeans ot' ,bent-over edges or fingers 10, Fig.r2, or a transverse-bar11, Fig. G, beneath which `the Wrapper-strip passes. Proceedingfrom'this point along the former F its edges are preferably bent over asindicated at l2 and 13,to maintain said engagement with the wrapper, andits bottom plate becomes more and more curved or concave, as best seenin Figs. 10 to 21, thereby causing the strip to gradually infold thesuperposed filler and to compact and give to the latter a truecylindrical shape. These objects are aided by a top plate 14 which maybe situated at or near the middle of the former arching over from onebent edge of the former to the other and supported thereby. At thevpoint A15 lthelflan'ge 13 beginsto approach the flange 12slightly, oris approached thereby, thus contracting the wrapper guide laterally, andthe outer portion of the flange is bent upward, as best seen in Fig. 10,with the effect of turning upward the edge of the wrapper as theuguidebecomes too narrow for it. At this point also the [lange 13 is removed,or provided with an opening or slit 16, through which one edge of thewrapper may emerge being directed or curled upward and inward towardythe middle of the wrapper by the said hemd 15 and bythe flange 17 ofthe former F, `which flange .inclines slightly toward the oppositeflange `12 and is somewhat nearer to it than arethe flanges y12 and 13to each other.

Between the slit 16 and the middle of the former is left a tongue 18which is a part of or is attached tothe edge flange of the former, andwhich ,is eithemparallel with the farther edge ot'the wrapper orinclines toward it less than does the flange 17, lying with its forwardend beneath the latter flange. The upwardly and inwardly curled edge ofthe wrapper is, therefore, caused to belfolded over and half way aroundthe tongue 18, as indicated in Fig. 12. Beyond .the end of the tongue 1Sthe `wrapper guide continues to contract laterally, the folding flange17 being succeeded by a guiding flange A19, which `lies closer to thebottom plate of the former and completes and flattens `the fold of theedge of the wrapper. Thence proceeding along the former, the wrapperwith one inwardly folded edge is, by the yincreasing concavity of theformer, bent into a semi-circle or curve, partly envelopingthe superposed filler, and passes uuder the arched top plate 14. Beneath thelatter the flanges 12 and 19 continuefor a distance still holding theedges of the wrapperstrip,.as seen inn Figs. 14,15 and 16. At a pointwhere the edges `of `the wrapper have been "brought around the `fillerand .near to each other, Fig. 16,the former is provided with an openingor slit 20 through which the unfolded edge of the wrapper will emerge asseen in Fig. `17; andatthe other side of the formel-'and preferably alittle farther forward `another slit 21 is made through which the foldededge of `the wrapper may pass, Fig. 18. Between these slits the top ofthe former becomes atongue 22 overaud outs'ideof which the wrapper stripedges lie.

`ftisa rib, guide or opener carried bythe tongue22 .near tothe slit 21and adapted to IIC enter beneaththe folded edge of the wrapper strip andopen or lift it from the body of the strip. See Fig. 19.

24 is a shoulder or guide on the former and adapted to throw theunfolded or straight edge of the wrapper toward and against the rib 23so that it will be engaged beneath the folded edge as seen in Fig. 20.The edge of the strip which forms the inner part of this seam, stands atthis time radially outward Vfrom the body of the cigarette, and the edgewhich forms the outer portion of the seam passes around the firstmentioned edge and terminates in a flange or bend which extends inwardtoward the body of thecigarette.

25 is a deecting or folding plate at the for- Ward end of the formerbeyond the end of the tongue 23, by which the united edges of thewrapper are bent and folded over, Fig. 21, so as to produce a fold onthat edge which has heretofore been straight and unfolded. This latterfold is an outward one, so that the two folds interlock to produce onthe cigarette an exterior seam, as seen in Fig. 22. Beyond the plate 25vis situated a fiat foldilg plate 26, which may conveniently be theextremity of the plate 25, by which the said seam is finally flattenedand compressed upon the surface of the cigarette,y Fig. 22.

As the continuous cigarette emerges from the former with its edgesinterlocked as described, I provide for crimping or corrugatingtransvetsely the seam formed by said edges, so as to secure theirengagement with each other. To this end I arrange two crimping surfacesor devices, one which I term the anvil adapted to enter beneath the saidseam and operate upon the under side thereof, and the other which I termthe presser acting upon the exterior of the seam. Said surfaces ordevices have teeth or projections alternating with and entering betweeneach other which serve to produce the corrugations, crimps or flutingsacross the seam. While various forms of crimping devices may be employedfor this purpose, I prefer those shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7, in which27 is the inner or under crimping device inthe form of a wheel having athin edge 28 adapted to enter beneath the wrapper seam, and on its upperor outer surface crimping projections The wheel 27 maybe made concave onits periphery to correspond with and receive the cigarette, as shown at30 in Fig. 3.

3l is the upper or outer Acrimping device, in the form of a wheel.having upon its periphery crimping projections 32 fitting and engagingbetween the projections 29. These crimping wheels' are preferablymounted on the vertical shaft 33 and horizontal shaft 34, and caused torun in unison by bevel gears 35, 36, thereon. The Vertical shaft 33 mayconveniently be the driving shaft, receiving power from any desiredsource.

By the above or equivalent crimping means the seam is crimped exteriorlyto the fillerinclosing portion of the wrapper, and in a position whichmay be termed parallel with the surface of the cigarette, or tangentialto its cylindrical body.

The inner crimping wheel may be formed as shown in Fig. 23, in whichsaid Wheel has a semi-circularl y concave periphery 37 adapted to engageand support one-half ofthe continuous cigarette at the point where thecrimping is performed.

38 is an opposing Wheel having a corresponding `concave periphery 39,which, together with the crimping wheel, forms a substantially completecircle of the same diameter as the cigarette and supports the latter onall sides at the place where the crimping is done.

After the wrapper has been crimped as described, the crimped seam may befolded down ilat on the body of the cigarette by any suitable means, asfor instance, by belts of known construction which grasp and carry thecigarette forward, or by a folding spring 40, seen lin Fig. 1, attachedto the frame of the machine and bearing at its free end on the crimpedseam with the necessary pressure.

I claim'- 1. As an improved articleA of manufacture a cigarette havingthe edges of its ,wrapper interlocked to form an exterior seam lyingfiat upon and parallel with the surface of the cigarette, and the saidseam crimped or corrugated exterior to and separately from thecylindrical portion of the wrapper and in a plane tangential thereto.

2. As an improved article of manufacture a cigarette having onelongitudinal edge of its wrapper bent outward and backward, and theother edge of the wrapper bent inward and backward, said-edges beinginterlocked, transversely crimped exterior to and separately from thecylindrical portion ofv the wrapper, and folded down upon the cigarette,substantially as set forth.

3. In the manufacture of cigarettes the herein described method ofcrimping the interlocked edges of the wrapper which consists in foldingsaid wrapper about the filler, interlocking its edges to form a seam`which lies flat upon the surface of the cigarette, and crimping saidseam exterior to and independently of the body or circular portion ofthe wrapper and in a plane tangential to the latter.

4. The herein described method of making cigarettes which consists inenveloping the filler in a suitable Wrapper, turning outward one edge ofthe wrapper, turning the other edge of the wrapper inward and completelyaround the first mentioned edge, folding said edges down to form a seamflat upon the surface of the cigarette in which the edges areinterlocked with each other, and crimping or corrugating, said seamexterior to the cylindrical portion of the Wrapper and in a planetangential thereto, substantially as set forth.

5. In a cigarette machine the combination IIO with means for wrappingthe filler holding the cigarette and interlocking its Wrapper edges toform a seam, of a presser for operating on said seam, and an anvil orcooperating presser situated between said first mentioned presser andthe path of the body of the cigarette and exterior to the Wrapper of thelatter.

6. In a cigarette machine a Wrapper-strip folder having at one edgemeans for curling or folding over the edge of said strip, and providedwith a curved or tubular portion, a central tongue having a projectionor rib adapted to enter beneath the foldededge of the strip andseparated from said curved portion to leave slits or apertures at eachside of said rib, and a folder, near the path of the interlocked edgesof the Wrapper and adapted to engage the top or exterior thereof,substantially asset forth.

7. A Wrapper strip folder having at one side means for curling orfolding over an edge of the strip, guiding devices for causing theunfolded edge to enterbeneath said fold, a folder for folding said edgesdown upon the cigarette to form an interlocked seam, and cri1npersexterior to the cigarette and operating on the said seam in a planetangential to the body of the cigarette, substantially as set forth.

8. A wrapper-strip folder having at one side nieans for curling orfolding over an edge of the strip, a tongue for opening or lifting thefolded edge, guiding devices for causing the unfolded edge to enterbeneath said fold, a folder foroperating on said edges, and crimpersexterior' to the cigarette, substantially as set forth. y

9. In acigarette machine cooperating crimp ing devices, one situated ata tangent to the cigarette, and the other exterior to the cigarette andto the said tangent device, substan-y tially as set forth.

10. In a cigarette machine having means for forming a seam in thewrapper of the cig arette, a crimping wheel adapted to enterbetween thecigarette and the seam of its wrapper, and a cooperating crimping wheelexterior to said seam, substantially as set forth.

11. In a cigarette machine having means for forming a seam in thewrapper, cooperating crimping Wheels, one of which is concave to fit thecigarette, substantially as set forth. 12. In a cigarette machine, acrimping Wheel exterior to and parallel with the axis of the cigarette,a cooperating crimping wheel having its crimping portion at a tangent tothe cigarette and having a concave cigarette supporting periphery, andan opposing supporting Wheel having a concave periphery, substantiallyas set forth.

13. A Wrapper-strip guideand former having edge flanges, a foldingflange 17, slits 20, 2l, inthe former, a rib 23, between said slits, adeflecting plate25, Jand a folding plate 2G, su stantially as set forth.

14. In a cigarette wrapper scanning device a former having `a ribsituated within the wrapper and exterior to the filler, means forfolding and interlocking the edges of the Wrapper around said rib, andcrimping devices exterior to the `cigarette and operating on both sidesof the interlocked edges, substantially ,as set forth.

In witness whereof Ihave hereunto signed my name in the presence of twoWitnesses.

ALBERT L. MUNSON.

Witnesses:

' GEO. I-I. GRAHAM,

II. N. Low.

